Piano.



F. G. OTT.

Y PIANO. APPLICATION FILED SEPTA?, 1908.

928,277. l Patented July 20,1909.

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FREDERICK C. OTT, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application filed September 17, 1908. Serial No. 453,377.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK C. OTT, rcsiding in Milwaukee, in thecounty of Milwaukee and State of IVisconsin, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Pianos, of which the following is a description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part ofthis specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in pianos.

The object of the invention is to provide improved attachments which canbe readily applied to a piano already constructed, and which whenapplied will strengthen the tone of the instrument, and render said toneclear and practically uniform or even throughout.

IVith the above primary object, and other incidental objects in view,the invention consists of the devices andv parts, or their equivalents,as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation showing theback plate, the sounding board, and the usual strings or wiresordinarily employed in upright pianos, my improved attachments beingshown as properly applied; Fig. 2 is a section through a fragment ofFig. l, taken on a plane just above the arch-shaped block which connectsthe two sections of the treble bridge, and looking downwardly; Fig. 3 isa cross section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. L

is a section on the same plane as Fig. 2, of

a modified form 0f construction.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates the ordinary backplate, and 6 the sounding board secured to and arranged back of saidplate, as in the ordinary form of upright piano. The treble strings orwires are indicated by the numerals 7 and the bass strings or wires bythe numeral 8. These strings or wires are arranged and disposed in theordinary and usual manner,

and hence require no specific description. It is usual to strengthen andbrace the back plate 5 by means of strengthening ribs, two of said ribsbeingv ordinarily employed. These ribs are shown in the accompanyingdrawing, and indicated, respectively by the numerals 9 and l0.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, pianos are provided with atreble bridge and with a bass bridge. The treble bridge, is usuallyprovided with a recess, to form a space for the accommodation of the rib9, or in other words, to form a space through which said rib may run. Inthe construction shown in Figs. l to 3 of the drawing, I form the treblebridge of two separate sections with their adjacent ends spaced a slightdistance apart to form a space for the accommodation of the rib 9,instead of recessing said treble bridge as is the usual practice. Thesetwo sections of the treble bridge are indicated, respectively, by thenumerals 11 and l2, and the bass bridge is also shown and indicated bythe numeral 13. By reason of the formation of the treble bridge in twosections with the intervening space between the adjacent ends of thesections, or by reason of forming said treble bridge with a' recess asis the usual practice, and also by reason of the space between the lowersection l2 of the treble bridge and the nearest end of the bass bridge,breaks are necessarily formed which if no means were provided to guardagainst it would seriously affect the tone, and cause differentqualities or shades of tone; that is to say, the tone would be unevenand indistinct. In other words, there are two breaks formed, viz., theupper break between the adjacent ends of the two sections of the treblebridge and the lower break between the lower end of the lower section ofthe treble bridge and one end of the bass bridge. The upper break thusformed creates a light quality of tone and the lower break 'creates aheavy quality of tone.

My invention is designed to overcome the above pointed outdisadvantages, and in order to connect the adjacent ends of the separatesections of the treble bridge, I employ a member or block la preferablyof arch-shaped form, and also preferably of aluminum. This blockstraddles the rib 9, and the legs thereof bear against the respectivesections ll and l2 of the treble bridge, being secured thereto by meansof screws l5, l5, or equivalent securing devices, said screws extendingthrough the legs of the arched shaped member and entering the sectionsof the treble bridge. It will be noticed that the strings or wires onthe right hand side of the rib 9 terminate a short distance from saidrib so as to leave a space for the right hand leg of the block. Thestrings or wires on the left hand side of the rib 9 are also forcedapart slightly for the accommodation of the left hand leg of the archedshaped member, said left hand leg being preferably beveled slightly onone edge, as indicated by the numeral 16, so as to insure againstcontact of the said leg with the adjacent strings or wires. F rom thisconstruction, it will be seen that the block is entirely free fromcontact with the rib or arm 9, and is also free from contact with thestrings on either side vof said rib or arm.

rlhe member for connecting the lower end of the lower section 1:2 of thetreble bridge to the bass bridge is in the form of a long rod or bar 17,preferably of aluminum, and provided at opposite ends with inwardlyextending legs 18, 18. One of these legs extends to and contacts withthe lower end of the lower section 12 of the treble bridge, and theother leg` extends to and contacts with the end of the bass bric gewhich is farthest away from the lower end of the section 1Q of thetreble bridge. The respective legs 1S are secured to the said end of thebridge section and the said end of the bass bridge by means of screws19, or equivalent securing means.

Some pianos, such as the old makes of square and grand upright, have twoor more breaks in the treble bridge formed by a plurality of recesses.In such cases, of course, a plurality of the blocks 14; would beprovided for connecting the adjacent ends of the sections of the bridgeat the different points of breakage.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my invention, itwill be seen that l provide attachments which can be readily applied toany existing pianoforte without any material change whatever in thestructure, and when applied will remedy the disadvantages heretoforeexisting, by provducing an even, clear and sonorous tone throughout.

As heretofore stated ordinarily the treble bridge is recessed at thepoint where the plate-rib, or arm, such as 9, passes, instead of makingthe treble bridge of two entirely separate and distinct sections. Underthis arrangement, the recess accommodates the rib 9, and the bottom ofthe recess forms a thin membrane or connecting member between theportions of the treble bridge on opposite sides of the rib or arm.rl`his construction in practice, however, has not been foundsatisfactory, inasmuch as the thin membrane or connecting member formingthe bottom of the recess isrnot sufficient to produce an even, clear andsonorous sound. When, however, my improved connecting block 141 is usedin connection therewith, entirely satisfactory results are secured. l,therefore, in Fig. 4L show a form wherein the treble bridge is recessedinstead of being divided into separate sections, and in connection withthis recessed bridge is employed one of the blocks let. Referring tothis iigure, the treble bridge is indicated by the numeral 2O and therecess thereof by the numeral 21. It Will be seen that the recessaccommodates the rib 9, and the block 11i straddles the said rib and theinwardly extending legs of the block contact with and are secured to theportions of the treble bridge on opposites sides of the rib by means ofthe screws 15, or equivalent devices.

WThile l herein describe my improved attachments as particularlyadaptable for pianos, yet l do not wish to be understood as therebyspecifically restricting myself to that use, but intend to cover theinvention for use in connection with any form of stringed instrument forwhich it may be found adapted.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. A musical instrument, comprising a sounding board provided with adivided treble bridge and a bass bridge, a string T..

plate positioned adjacent to said sounding board and provided withstrengthening ribs extending at an angle to the bridges and one of saidribs extending in a line intersecting the treble bridge, said treblebridge being cut away and out of contact with said rib at the point ofintersection, strings constructed to produce sound vibrations ingraduated ascending scale connected to said string plate and in contactwith said bridges, a block extending over the rib at the point ofintersection of the bridge and the rib and connected to the end portionsof the treble bridge on opposite sides of said intersecting rib, and abar connected to the end of thethe bass bridge with which the highesttoned y string is in contact.

2. A musical instrument, comprising a sounding board provided with atreble bridge and with a bass bridge, a string plate positioned adjacentto said sounding board and provided with strengthening ribs extending'at an angle to the bridges and one of said ribs extending in a lineintersecting the treble bridge, said treble bridge being eut away andout of contact with said rib at the point of intersection, stringsconstructed to produce sound vibrations in a graduated ascending scaleconnected to said string plate and in contact with said bridges, a blockextending over the rib at the point of intersection of the bridge andthe rib and connected to the treble bridge on opposite sides of saidintersecting rib, and a bar connected only to the end of the treblebridge with which the lowest toned string is in contact and extendingover the other rib and connected only to the end of the bass bridge withwhich the highest toned string is in contact, said block and bar beingconnected to the bridges to form substantially a bridge eX- tending in acontinuous single line from the string which produces the lowest tonevibrations to the string which produces the highest tone vibrations.

3. A musical instrument, comprising a sounding board provided with adivided treble bridge and with a bass bridge, a string plate positionedadjacent to said sounding board and provided with strengthening ribsextending at an angle to the bridges and one of said ribs extending in aline intersecting the treble bridge, said rib passing between the endsof the divided portions of the treble bridge but not in Contacttherewith, strings constructed to produce sound vibrations in agraduated ascending scale connected to said string plate and in contactwith said bridges, a. block extending over the rib at the point ofintersection of the bridge and the rib and coiniected to the endportions of the treble bridge on opposite sides of said intersectingrib, and a bar connected only to the end of the treble bridge with whichthe lowest toned string is in Contact and extending over the other riband connected only to the endoi' the bass bridge with which the highesttoned string is in contact, said block and bar being connected to thebridges to form substantially a bridge extending in a continuous singleline from the string which produces the lowest tone vibrations to thestring which produces the highest tone vibrations.

In testimony7 whereof, I affix my signature,

in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK C. OTT. TWitnesses A. L. Monsnnn, ANNA F. SCHMIDBAUER.

